OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BETTER TOMORROW INC

The Medical Administrative Assistant Program provides ten weeks of clerical training; preparation for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant credential; a five-week internship at a healthcare institution, and job-placement; serving 45 young adults annually;

The Adult Education and Literacy Program provides classes in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Adult Basic Education, and Adult Secondary Education/ High School Equivalency (HSE) prep; and job-placement; Serves 650 adults annually

The Adult Job-Placement Program offers core vocational services (resume assistance, interview preparation, access to computers for job search); and job-placement services; serving 250 adults annually;

The Maura Clarke–Ita Ford Center provides four levels of ESOL classes and computer-skills training to immigrant women; serving 100 women annually (and a few men); this program is housed at OBT's BWRC.

The Maura Clarke–Ita Ford Center is more than an educational center. It is a community where women gain proficiency in the English language, learn about important community resources, and obtain new skills to support their families.

The Center was founded in 1993 by Sister Mary Burns and continues the legacy of the two Maryknoll Sisters – Maura Clarke and Ita Ford – who were murdered while working as missionaries in El Salvador. Their devotion to the lives of disadvantaged women, and their work in the fields of education and community organizing, inspired the creation of the Center, which, for more than 20 years, has assisted thousands of women in bettering their lives.

Designed in partnership with Generation, youth earn Amazon Web Services Credential 1, the first in a series of 6 stackable credentials. Skills include fundamentals of Linux, network and security, introduction to programming, database management, cloud computing concepts, AWS core concept, and AWS security. The curriculum includes professional leadership development and one-on-one coaching in preparation for entering the field. Three 12-week cycles; serving 66 annually at Industry City's Innovation Lab in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

This program provides a pathway for students from Pre-HSE training to Advance Skills, with job and college placement services offered to all participants. Depending on their academic skill level at intake, students start the program in either Pre-HSE academic skill development, into HSE preparation programming, or in an Advanced Skills training focused on Digital Literacy. OBT is offering an afternoon/evening pre-HSE and HSE program at Sunset Park, and an Advanced Training in Digital Literacy out of our Bushwick location. In partnership with the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, OBT is the only Advance and Earn contract provider in Brooklyn. The program serves 150 students per year.

Digital Marketing is part of our Advance and Earn Contract This twelve-week job training program prepares students for the field of digital marketing. Students learn the basics of this field and earn industry recognized credentials in Google and Facebook Analytics. They are also connected to paid internships. Digital Marketing serves 50 students per year.

Through a partnership with Green-Wood Cemetery, the World Monuments Fund, and the International Masonry Institute (IMI). The program combines education and pre-apprenticeship programming to offer hands-on training to young adults who are selected. Through this program, trainees access a suite of services that include an emphasis on personal development, long-term skill building and employability. Participants engage in a 2-week work readiness “boot-camp”, and an 8-week pre-apprenticeship program at Green-Wood cemetery and earn 3 industry-certified credentials: OSHA 10-Hr Construction Safety & Health; 4-Hr Scaffold Card (Support Scaffold), and 16-Hr Scaffold Card (Swing Scaffold). This program enrolls over 10 students yearly.

CAP supports over 500 participants annually from across OBT’s portfolio of programs. This program is designed with the understanding that post-secondary education plays an important role in the path to a well-paid and sustainable career. CAP teams work with participants through three primary channels: workshops, one-on-one meetings, and college retention support. Every OBT youth participant receives three CAP workshops, a set of differentiated and highly interactive sessions that provide introductory content about attending college, with the aim of encouraging participants to think about the role that post-secondary education can play in their lives. After the initial workshops, CAP provides high-level individualized support, including to students with prior college experience and those who would like to explore educational alternatives, such as credential and advanced-training programs. Once participants are enrolled in a post-secondary opportunity, CAP conducts monthly outreach to each participant. This strategy is drawn from research on digital nudges to support college success. These efforts are supplemented by strategic partnerships with college and non-profit organizations.

In Fall 2017, OBT was selected by NYC Department of Youth and Community Development to operate a new initiative for out of school and out of work youth parents ages 17-24. Through this program, two Child Care Navigators assist young parents with securing child care for their children and facilitate parenting workshops. This allows young parents to attend job training while receiving free child care. The initiative enrolls a total of 50 participants and allows them up to 2 years to complete the program.